Bad Motor Day :(.

[D.O.G.]

Well I'm not sure yet but I think I fried up my Xnova XTS 1580 KV motor up today on my Gaui X3L. I was flying around and doing just find and just about the end of my flight, the motor stop spinning. Lucky I brought the heli down with no damage. As I approached the X3L, I heard the sound of beeping like my battery was to low. I went ahead and yank the cover off and disconnected the battery. At that time I smelled the burning smell of electronics. I didn't know where it was coming from but then I touched the motor. OUCH! that baby was extremely hot. As long as I had that motor, 5yrs, I never had that motor that hot. I went ahead and spun the main gear backward and it was real hard to turn. My motor gear to main gear wasn't to lose or to tight. It was just right. Being not a happy camper I hung the heli up til later on tonight when I feel like taking it apart. All signs are pointing to a burnt up motor since I never changed anything or done anything to this heli beside lubing and oiling this bird. Oh well...poop happens .

 

[Tony]

Well that sucks, but 5 years with the same motor as much as you fly is pretty good.

Grab a volt meter and ohm out each of the windings (red to black, black to blue and blue to red). The numbers should almost match. My theory is one of the windings built up resistance and started to heat up and caused all of the other winding to melt their coating off and short as well.

A cheap way to test this is to unplug the motor from the ESC and spin the motor. If you feel more resistance than usual, then you have windings shorted together acting like a brake. If this is the case, be thankful it didn't take the ESC with it.

 

[D.O.G.]

Alrighty then. I finally took my motor off last night. I did what Tony suggested, A cheap way to test this is to unplug the motor from the ESC and spin the motor. If you feel more resistance than usual, then you have windings shorted together acting like a brake. If this is the case, be thankful it didn't take the ESC with it. Sure enough, she's fried. I need suggestion on which motor to get this time. I can go with the same motor, Xnova XTS 2618-1580KV 10P (shaft A) 3.5mm - GAUI X3 / X3L or go with a different one like this, Xnova XTS 2618-1860KV 10P (shaft A) 3.5mm - GAUI X3 / OXY 4 which the KV is a little higher or go with this oneScorpion HK 2520-1880kv Motor (3.5mm shaft) (for 6S Lipo) - GAUI X3 / OXY 4 which I never tried Scorpion but I know member on this site has. If I'm correct, Admiral has one on his Gaui X3L. I can use some input before I purchase one. I do run low head speed and my pitch on my blades are @ 13 degrees using 13 tooth on my motor opinion with a 60a HW esc. Any idea on the set up will be appreciated .

 

[Tony]

I have never run xnova, but I would chose xnova over scorpion. Scorpion motors like to run hot, quite hot, and xnova don't run as hot. Great power out of both. However, Scorpion may have a new tech in their motors now that keeps them a little cooler and a little more efficient. Since you run a low head speed, going with a higher KV is not suggested. Lower KV is what you are looking for with low head speed flights for more torque, especially at 13º of collective.

 

[Admiral]

I have never run xnova, but I would chose xnova over scorpion. Scorpion motors like to run hot, quite hot, and xnova don't run as hot. Great power out of both. However, Scorpion may have a new tech in their motors now that keeps them a little cooler and a little more efficient.

Your right Ivan I do run Scorpion 2520-1880 on the X3's and Tony is correct they do run hot, even the newer ones, but it doesn't seem to effect their performance or longevity. You need to set the ESC timing to 5 and oil the bearing on a regular basis. I have a couple of very old 2221 - 2110KV still going strong after at least 5 years.

I may try an Xnova next time out, just out of interest.

 

[D.O.G.]

Thanks Tony and Admiral. @ Admiral, I thought you did run Scorpion and you love them. I decided to get another Xnova like the one I had before. I've been very happy with it . I've heard about the Scorpion running hot that's why I went with Xnova in the first place. I just wanted to here opinion from others.

 

[Admiral]

Yes I'm very happy with scorpion, never had one fail, it's like lots of other thing that you get used to you stay with them because you understand them, but that doesn't mean I'm not prepared to try something else.

I've got a new Gaui X4ii kit sitting under the bench, deciding what motor I'll put in that at the moment, it's the replacement for my Align 500 which is getting very hard to get parts for but the 500 is flying so well at the moment I'll wait for until I have an unfortunate event before I harvest the electrics for the Gaui.

 

[D.O.G.]

@ Admiral, "it's the replacement for my Align 500 which is getting very hard to get parts for". I know your on the other side of the pond but I've been getting my parts from here Align T-Rex 500 Parts and Align Trex 500 ESP / EFL - Medusa Heli. Maybe this might help you when you do need parts or just like to stock up on spares like I do.

 

[Admiral]

Thanks for that Ivan, but I already have the replacement Kit, bit too far down the track to change now.
Our Australian Align agent closed and a new one opened after about 12 months but for the only stock parts for the 500X and later.